LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Emergency crews and police swarmed a downtown Louisville building Saturday morning, responding to gunfire and injuries. But it was all just part of a drill.
Loud booms, gun shots and an increased police presence were all seen and heard as part of an active aggressor drill organized by students at U of L's School of Medicine.
"Basically all of the skills they've learned have all been leading up to today, and today they get to test those skills," said Madison Kommor, who helped organize the training.
LMPD, SWAT, Emergency Management and other first responders all took part.
An IED explosive triggered two gunmen to enter the building, simulating the active shooting scenario on the U of L Health Sciences Center campus.
"Our guys' main and number one priority is to stop the threat," SWAT operations Sgt. Jeff Lauder said. "They're going to find the shooter or that active aggressor and neutralize the threat. After that, clear the building of any possible threats that may still be around."
40 U of L Medical students volunteered to play victims. They were covered in makeup to create a situation that almost seemed like real life.
"It gives us an opportunity to see firsthand how we're supposed to respond when something horrible happens," Jacob Davis, a volunteer victim, said.
It was an opportunity for students to get real life experience treating victims in a high pressure situation.
"If you don't understand who's doing the hard work out on the front-lines and bringing those patients to the hospital, you'll never be a decent qualified disaster responder," Kommor said.
It also allowed first responders to train for a situation the city of Louisville hopes to never see.
"It creates a realistic and stressful environment for them. We like to do things that create those realistic scenarios as much as possible because we just can't duplicate that kind of stress in training," Lauder said.
The students in charge of the training said it took over a year and a half of planning leading up to Saturday's drill.
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